"I... I have nothing to do with Mr. Yan. I followed him because he just came to talk to me..."
Zhou Yaru opened her mouth to explain, but when she turned her head and saw that Yan Yincheng's figure was almost out of sight, she stamped her foot.
"Oops! All in all, it's very likely that Zhenzhen's confession to Manager Cui failed because Manager Cui said he liked you, and Mr. Yan overheard it!" Having said all this in one breath, she grabbed Xu Zixi's wrist and dragged her forward. "Just come with me!"
Xu Zixi was dragged along by her, staggering to keep up with her steps. As she digested what Zhou Yaru had just said, she looked up at the conspicuous figure in front of her, her face full of shock.
Her first reaction was, How could that be?
How could Cui Jiandong like her? It was obvious to everyone that he and Huang Zhenzhen had feelings for each other! Then she realized that with Yan Yincheng's acute hearing, it was quite possible that Cui Jiandong had really said such a thing.
Oh no!
On the other side of the terrace.
Huang Zhenzhen couldn't believe her ears. What did he say? He liked Yuan Xi?
"You're lying to me, right?" Huang Zhenzhen said with difficulty. She forced a smile. "You must have come up with this excuse just to reject me."
Cui Jiandong was looking at a wisp of hair that curled slightly on top of her head, but in Huang Zhenzhen's eyes, he was looking at her intently.
"Why would I lie to you? Yuan Xi is so beautiful, so dazzling, capable, and has a perfect personality. How could I not like her? I fell for her the first time I saw her at the interview. But after we officially started work, I noticed the diamond ring on her hand, so I buried my admiration for her. It wasn't until that night when she bravely subdued your ex-boyfriend and saved me that my heart completely fell for her."
"No, it's not like this." Huang Zhenzhen shook her head, crying.
"Huang Zhenzhen, do you know? I actually regret saving you. Because of you, I missed a lot of opportunities, like the design competition, my position, and a healthy body. If I could choose again, I definitely wouldn't help you that night."
Huang Zhenzhen stared at Cui Jiandong in disbelief.
What did he say?!
How could he say such a thing!
Suddenly, a tall and straight figure stepped out of the terrace and walked straight up to Cui Jiandong following the sound. Then, he suddenly punched Cui Jiandong in the jaw. Cui Jiandong was completely unprepared. The blow was so painful that he felt as if the bones in his jaw were about to shatter. The sudden force knocked him onto the railing of the terrace. If the railing hadn't been high enough, he would have fallen downstairs.
"A Dong!" Huang Zhenzhen's heart was already broken by his words. Seeing this, she let out a scream. Her body reacted faster than her mind, and she rushed forward to support Cui Jiandong, using her small body to block in front of him.
"Who are you? Why did you hit him? He's injured!"
She angrily turned around and glared at the person, but when she saw his face clearly, she was stunned for a moment. "Mr. Yan?"
Yan Yincheng's face was as cold as ice. He took out a handkerchief and carefully wiped the hand he had used to punch. "Why did I hit him? I'm never polite to people who speak nonsense."
"Your name is Cui Jiandong, right? You said you regret saving someone? In your eyes, is work and money more important than your colleague's life? A despicable and faithless person like you even dared to say that you 'like Yuan Xi'. Don't you know the relationship between the girl confessing to you and Yuan Xi? Do you want to drag Yuan Xi into this?"
"I..." Cui Jiandong was left speechless by his scolding.
"Now, as the major shareholder of Pei's, I hereby announce that you're fired from this very moment. Go back where you came from."
Cui Jiandong panicked and struggled out of Huang Zhenzhen's grasp. Enduring the sharp pain in his jaw, he said to Yan Yincheng, "No, please don't fire me. I need this job. Mr. Yan, please..."
Xu Zixi and Zhou Yaru arrived a step late. They happened to hear Yan Yincheng say that he was going to fire Cui Jiandong. The anger in Xu Zixi flared up again. Without thinking, she stepped forward to stand in front of Huang Zhenzhen and Cui Jiandong and scolded:
"Yan Yincheng, you've really gone too far! You've repeatedly interfered in my work and my life, and now you even want to fire someone at will. If you think it's fun to exercise your rights as a major shareholder like this, fine. Starting tomorrow, I'll also leave Pei's. I don't want 'City of Hope' anymore! I'll quit this project! Are you satisfied?!"
Yan Yincheng was even more panicked than Cui Jiandong at this moment. He was at a loss when scolded by her and lowered his voice to explain:
"Zixi, it's not what you think. I didn't mean to interfere in your business. It's this guy surnamed Cui who said something really outrageous just now! So I..."
"How outrageous could it be?" Xu Zixi demanded.
"All he said was that he liked me. Is that so outrageous? Oh, what business is it of yours whether he likes me or not? Even if all the men in the world like me and are vying to be stepfathers to my two children, it's none of your business!"
Her voice was so loud that it drowned out all the noise in the world, making it completely quiet in Yan Yincheng's ears.
Even if all the men in the world liked her and were vying to be stepfathers to her children, it was none of his business? He knew that he had failed to protect her back then, and she hated him and wouldn't forgive him. But he never expected that she could be so heartless with her words.
Strangely enough, this time, he didn't feel anything in his chest. Had his heart hurt so much that it had stopped beating?
Wei Shu couldn't stand it anymore. He tried to plead for a chance for his Third Master. "Miss Yuan, you've really misunderstood. Cui Jiandong just..."
Xu Zixi impatiently interrupted him. "Wei, shut up! You're no better than him!"
Yan Yincheng took a step back.
His tired and emotionless voice sounded. "I'm sorry. I was being presumptuous. None of you need to leave Pei's. It's me who should go."
After saying that, he took another step back, retreating from the bright area into the darkness.
Wei Shu was unwilling. "Third Master!"
"Let's go." Yan Yincheng turned around and walked towards the end of the corridor without looking back.
Zhou Yaru looked at Xu Zixi, then at the backs of Yan Yincheng and Wei Shu as they left. She fell silent, shivering like a cicada in cold weather.
His departing figure looked so lonely and dejected. Xu Zixi clenched her fists and forced herself not to soften. She closed her eyes, took a long breath, and then turned around. First, she glanced at Huang Zhenzhen, who was with her head down, in despair and in tears. Then, frowning, she turned her gaze to Cui Jiandong, whose jaw was obviously swollen.
"Is your wound okay?"
Cui Jiandong shook his head, took a sharp breath, and said through the pain, "I'm fine."
"Since you're fine, then come and explain this to me clearly." Xu Zixi crossed her arms and looked coldly at Cui Jiandong.
"You said you like me? I didn't see any sign of it. Cui Jiandong, if you have concerns and don't want to accept Huang Zhenzhen, please don't use me as an excuse. I hope you can give me a reasonable explanation, or I won't mind punching you on the other side of your face!"